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March 2008

The Archives

• 03.29.08
  Lining up Contractors Contractors | (0)

  For me it's always interesting to hire a contractor, since I've done contract work myself as a graphic designer. It's interesting to hear how they like to price their service, as well as how they plan to get paid. The original contractor I had hoped to use (Gene), had his project extended for a couple more weeks, and so he recommended someone else (Chris). I met with Chris on Friday and was impressed with him. As we walked the upper floor and discussed what I wanted to do, he made some excellent suggestions on changes. Today I met with the tile guy. ...
• 03.24.08
  Now the fun begins - New Fireplace! Before and After, Fireplace | (1)

  I was sick today, so I was glad my friends Chris and Abraham coordinated the effort to get the new livingroom fireplace in. It turned out awesome! The boys from Courtyard Fence and Stone came and put the fireplace back together in a one-day effort. I wasn't able to repurpose the hearth like I would have liked but the results of the new fireplace are amazing. Here's a photo just after they were done (the wood mantle will come later). It's nice to finally see something that isn't being torn down! And just in case you don't remember the old one... The new ...
• 03.24.08
  Demolition Continues Before and After, Demolition | (0)

  Major work continues in the demolition of the upstairs. I've been so busy lately I haven't been able to post the progress. (To see any picture larger, click on it and view it in Flickr) Living Room wall (before and now) This wall is going to be removed completely, and replaced with a small wall (corresponding with an island). I'm also going to leave a header to keep a visual separation between the spaces. (I've had it confirmed from several people that this wasn't necessary because of the trusses used in the attic, but I'm keeping it for visual appeal) Here's a ...
• 03.22.08
  Kitchen Plans Plans and Ideas | (0)

  I've gone back and forth on what to do with the kitchen, but have finally nailed down a plan I like. I mocked this up in Illustrator and sent it to the cabinet guy for a bid. (The blue lines are upper cabinets, the red are base cabinets) I've considered several options for getting kitchen cabinets, and then ran across Get The Best on KSL.com classifieds. After getting back his bid, I'm going to go and visit his shop and check out the cabinets. He's limited on wood and door styles, but the prices are extremely reasonable. By converting the tradition bar ...
• 03.08.08
  Demolition Begins Demolition | (0)

  After work today, a couple of my friends and I headed over to "that 70's house" to do a little demo. Well, scratch that. We actually couldn't wait, and started ripping up carpet at lunch. (The carpet was pretty bad.) Then after work we ran to Home Depot and bought a few tools and then hit the kitchen next. That's me with the mask, and my friend Abraham in the red shirt. My friend Jon was also there working on gutting the bathrooms. To open up the floor plan, I want to take out a good portion of the wall between the ...
• 03.06.08
  The “Before” Pictures Before and After | (2)

  I took some "before" pictures today and uploaded them my flickr account. You can view a slideshow of them by clicking the link below. When I get some more time, I'll copy a few of them in here with my famous - and somewhat wordy - commentary explaining my plans. (I'm hoping this link works for everyone) The "Before" Pictures Slideshow
• 03.06.08
  That 70’s House - The Overview Plans and Ideas | (0)

  From the very first time I walked through this house it had a nice feeling to it. The south light poured in the front, and the roomy lot and brick exterior gave it a sense of security. I looked around at the carpet, the cabinets, the walls and bathrooms and found myself imagining myself on Flip That House. I would stand, face the camera and say, "I'm Brad McCall, and this is my flip." Then the narrator would rattle out all the details of how much I bought it for and so forth. The house, which was built in 1972, was ...
• 03.05.08
  It’s Flippin’ Sweet, I Say General | (0)

  It seems that everyone I've spoken with lately tell me that now is a good time to buy a house. (This includes my mortgage guy, my title company, and several vendors I've visited around asking about pricing for this and that). The economy seems to be telling me the opposite. As for me, I follow my gut. I agree. Now's a good time to invest in real estate. As many of my friend's know, I'm a big HGTV watcher. If television were carpet, you'd see a big thread-bare section where HGTV is. I'm not a real estate expert, nor am I ...

recent posts

• The First “After” Photo
• Where’s the update?
• Tile work is wrapping up (except for backsplashes)
• Trim Painting is Underway
• Granite is Installed!
• Solid as a Rock - Granite Selected
• Let There Be Light